Not What it Looks Like
by PrehistoricCat
Summary: Connor hasn't been home for days, and Abby's about to make a shocking discovery in his lab that could tear their relationship apart for good.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N: I've wanted to do an April storyline for a while, but haven't had a decent plot that I've wanted to run with. Until now - thanks to iEvenstarEstel **

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><p>The alarm was too loud and intrusive. Abby had barely slept and she was exhausted; the last thing she wanted was to be getting out of bed now, but she had no choice. The world didn't stop just because she was feeling out of sorts. She rolled over and switched it off, then forced herself to sit up. The bed felt big and empty – Connor's side had not been slept in yet again.<p>

She felt nothing more than sadness now. It had happened too frequently for her to allow herself to get angry or upset about it. She just had to accept the fact that Connor was drifting away from her, despite everything they'd promised each other in the Cretaceous. Everyone had assumed she would be the one that would get bored of the relationship in the real world; they'd said it would only be a matter of time before Abby realised Connor was not the man she needed. But they were all wrong; Connor was the one being tempted away by the excitement of the modern world.

She pulled the duvet off and dragged herself out of bed. As she padded sleepily across the room and out into the living area, she half hoped to see Connor curled up asleep on the sofa. He'd done that a couple of times; afraid to get into bed because he'd got in so late. But the sofa was empty, and there wasn't even a sign that he'd been home and gone out again. The letter from his mum that had arrived two days ago was still propped up, unopened, against the photo on the shelf above the breakfast bar.

There were no messages on her phone either when she switched it on whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. She sighed and thought about sending him a text message, but then decided against it. She'd done all of the communicating recently, and when he did bother to respond it would only be a one or two word answer. Why should she constantly chase him when he clearly thought more about his work for Philip Burton than he did about her? She didn't want to accept it, but perhaps Matt was right; Burton had Connor under some kind of spell and they both feared he was beyond help.

When she finally arrived at the ARC, she noted that his car was parked in his usual spot – had it even moved since yesterday? Abby shook her head; what could possibly be so important about this work he was doing that meant he couldn't even leave to get something to eat? She wondered when he'd last eaten properly; in fact, when had he had a proper drink? That was when she decided she'd make him some breakfast and take it in to him. She'd force her way into the lab if she had to.

The staff kitchen was kept pretty well stocked, thanks to Jess. Abby found some bread and put a couple of slices into the toaster. There was strawberry jam with no seeds in; just the sort Connor loved, and Jess had already got a pot of coffee going. Abby carefully arranged the toast on a small plate, put it on tray with two cups of coffee and a large dollop of jam in a little pot. If she'd actually thought ahead, she could've found a small vase and put a flower in it. Still, what she had would do. It might even make Connor smile; it had been far too long since she'd seen him smile.

Balancing the tray on her knee and propping it against the door, Abby tried to attract Connor's attention by knocking on the small window. She expected to see him either sprawled out asleep over his desk and jumping up when she knocked, or sitting over his work and desperately trying to keep his eyes open – but he was nowhere to be seen.

Abby switched on her comms device. "Jess, is Connor wearing a black box?"

"Negative, Abby. He generally doesn't when he's working in the Prospero lab."

"Figures. Can you tell when his bio-tag was used last?"

She heard the familiar tapping as Jess typed and then said. "He last used it to get into the ARC yesterday morning. According to the records, he hasn't left."

Abby sighed. He had to be here, so why couldn't she see him? The window in the door was small and it was difficult to see more than just a tiny part of the lab. She stood on tip-toe and tried to see further inside and that was when she saw his arm on the floor; limp and lifeless.

"Jess! I need emergency access into Connor's lab now! He's collapsed on the floor." Her heart was racing and her throat tight. She immediately felt guilty – she'd not even thought to check on him when she left for home last night because she'd just assumed he would be working late again. He could have laid there all night; hurt, scared, ill... what if he was dead?

"I'm trying to raise Philip," Jess said, sounding almost too calm. "He's the only person with access to that lab, other than April."

Moments later, a slightly annoyed Philip Burton was striding down the corridor, followed by Sam the medic. "This had better not be some kind of trick to get you inside Connor's lab. You know it's strictly off limits to non-Prospero personnel."

"Don't you even care that Connor has probably worked himself so hard for you he's made himself seriously ill?" Abby spat.

"He's probably just fallen asleep and all of this is completely un-necessary." Burton punched his security code into the keypad at the side of the door and it clicked open. Abby ran inside and then froze. The sight she saw was worse than any nightmare she'd ever had about losing Connor. She'd almost prepared herself for so many death bed scenarios that none would actually shock her – but this...

He was naked, sprawled out on his back and breathing steadily. However, that wasn't the most shocking sight. Curled against Connor's chest and just beginning to wake up was an equally naked April.

"Well, it seems a medic is not needed," Burton turned to Sam to dismiss him, barely able to hide his amusement. "And neither am I. Play nicely." He strode out, leaving Abby standing there with the tray still in her hands. She was shaking so hard the cups began to rattle and she had to place it down on the desk.

"Abby. This isn't what it looks like." April was scrambling to her feet and nudging Connor to wake him.

"Shut up!" Abby snapped.

Connor's eyes opened and he glanced up. When he saw April naked beside him, he sat up and put his hands over his eyes. "What? How? I... I don't understand."

"Connor." Abby folded her arms across her chest.

"Abby!..." He glanced down at his own naked body, then at April and then at Abby's thunderous face. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this. I just can't think of one at the moment."

"Save it for someone who actually cares!" Abby turned on her heels to make her escape. She couldn't stand it any longer; she felt sick and tears were stinging her eyes but she was determined that they wouldn't see how upset she was. She was vaguely aware of the door slamming behind her as she ran into the corridor, needing to get away from that room as soon as possible. Her head hurt and she almost stumbled on her own feet – Connor ignoring her warnings about Burton was one thing; she could even understand that there were aspects of his work he needed to keep secret, but sleeping with another woman was unforgivable and the final twist of the knife she already felt in her heart. This was the end for her and Connor and it felt like her entire world was shattering into a thousand pieces.

-o-

Connor blinked. What had just happened? He knew what it looked like, and he completely understood why Abby had fled, but it was all so confusing. April was on her feet and looking for her clothes; he knew he should probably be doing the same but that would mean making eye contact with April. He cupped himself to try and cover his modesty and felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Did we?" he finally squeaked out. He honestly couldn't remember what had happened between them, and when he thought about it he realised how awful that sounded.

"I think I should make myself scarce for a few hours," April said. She was pulling her sweater on now, and Connor looked at her. "You need to go and talk to Abby."

"Yes, you're right. She's probably thinking all sorts of things now and ..." He stopped. He wanted to say that he'd explain it to her, but he couldn't even explain it to himself.

"I'll go over to the New Dawn site and work from there today," April said. "You have my mobile number if you need me, or we can schedule a video conference." Connor nodded and watched her gather her bag and phone together. "I hope you can sort things out with Abby."

"So do I," he muttered as April left him alone. He stared at the door after her, trying to get his head around this situation. After some minutes, he shivered and remembered that he was still totally naked and really should be getting dressed. He stood up and immediately began to feel sick and light headed. His muscles ached from being on the cold floor all night, and his arm was numb from where April had been laid on him. It was just starting to tingle as the feeling began to return.

His clothes were strewn all over the place and it took him a while to find everything, especially as his head hurt so much. The last time he'd had a headache like this was the first time he and Abby drank beer after their time in the Cretaceous. They'd ignored the doctor's advice about easing themselves back into normal food and drink slowly and had pizza and beer on their second night back. Half a bottle of beer made him violently sick and gave him the hangover from hell. That's what this felt like; the mother of all hangovers, yet he hadn't had any alcohol in weeks.

Fully dressed, Connor prepared himself to go and find Abby and try to sort out this mess. He spotted the toast and coffee that she'd left and picked up one of the cups. He couldn't really stomach either, but coffee might make his head feel a bit better. As he sipped the hot liquid, he remembered something about last night. April had decided that they needed to work through the night to complete the section of the project that they were working on. He'd tried to argue, realising he hadn't seen Abby for more than a few minutes in days, but April was insistent. "When we finish this, we can give ourselves a whole day off – Abby would prefer that to a few hours at home before you have to come into work again." He went to make coffee, and when he came back April was running a diagnostic test on the prototype. That was the last thing he could remember.

The fog began to lift from his brain and he felt ready to go and face Abby. He'd realised there were two cups on the tray and two pieces of toast – she had obviously intended to have breakfast with him since he barely spent time with her. The toast was cold, but he could easily make more, and get fresh cups of coffee. They could still have their breakfast and talk this over.

-o-

He knew exactly where he'd find her. She'd once told him that she had found comfort in her many pets as a child when everything else around her was falling apart, and that she preferred animals to humans most of the time. The menagerie at the ARC was Abby's little sanctuary and a place others rarely went to.

She was sat in the corner of the open pen where the creatures that weren't likely to eat each other were allowed to roam freely. Her back was to the entrance, and Connor wasn't entirely sure whether she knew he was there or not. He'd only ever seen her like this a couple of times; she was not one for showing her emotions. When things had got really bad in the Cretaceous, she'd send him off to go and collect firewood or catch fish so she could have a moment to herself. He knew she cried, but she had always hidden it from him apart from a couple of occasions when he'd returned unexpectedly and found her, just as she was now, curled into a ball and sobbing silently.

"Abby?"

She turned angrily and glared at him. Connor ached for her; her eyes were red and swollen and her cheeks dirty, stained with tears. "Go away, Connor."

"I brought breakfast," he said. "The toast you made got a little cold, so I made some more." He sat himself down next to her and placed the tray in front of them both. Abby didn't move. "Look, I know what you think you saw back there, but it wasn't... at least I don't think it was... no, I'm pretty certain it wasn't what it looked like."

"So what the hell was it then, Connor? You haven't been home in days, you spent the night with her and then I find you both all cosy and naked asleep together. Your clothes even smell of her cheap perfume. Please, credit me with some intelligence. You slept with another woman, Connor, and I'm not sure that I could ever forgive you."

"Abby, please... It wasn't.."

"I'm not interested, Connor. Please leave me alone."

"OK, I can see you're upset... and I haven't got my head around it either. I'll come home this evening, I promise. We can talk then, when both of us have calmed down and..."

"Upset doesn't even begin to cover this, Connor!" Abby snapped. The expression on her face told Connor the conversation was over.

"I'll see you later," he said quietly, standing up. He waited for a reply, but she'd purposely turned her head away to watch Rex nearby. Tears welled in his eyes, but he wouldn't allow them to fall. This was their workplace, and personal issues had to be kept in check.

-o-

Connor finally made it home shortly after 6pm. The flat was in darkness, which made Connor worry. When he turned on the lights it was obvious that there wouldn't be any talking tonight – most of Abby's things had gone. He went to check the wardrobe and her clothes had all gone too. She'd left him.

Fighting his tears, he dialled her mobile number. He needed to know she was OK and wasn't wandering the streets looking for somewhere to stay. If she couldn't bare to live with him, he should be the one moving out, not her, since it was him that had done wrong. The phone was answered within a few rings, but it wasn't Abby's voice.

"Jess?"

"Abby doesn't want to speak to you, Connor."

"Is she with you?"

"Yes. She's staying with me for a while to get her head together." That was a relief. At least Abby was with a friend. "Look, I can't make any promises, but I'll talk to her and try to calm her down. Give it a couple of days and she might be ready to talk to you."

"Thank you. Just... just tell her that I love her."

"I will, Connor." Jess ended the call and Connor suddenly felt like he'd lost a limb. What the hell had he done? He walked around the flat in a daze, not quite knowing what he should do. Then he spotted the letter from his mum propped against the photo. He ran his fingers over it – it was taken the night they moved out of Jess's flat and into their own place. Jess had got it printed out and put it into a nice frame as a house-warming gift. They both looked so happy in it, and they'd actually started to think that they could plan some kind of future together. It was all falling apart now though, and it was his fault.

Sniffing, he opened the letter. It was the usual 'news' that his mum had taken to sending him about once a month since she "couldn't get the hang of those computer thingys" and hadn't quite worked out how to use the mobile phone he'd got her for Christmas. He skimmed most of it, but the last part hit him. She wanted to know when she could meet Abby, and perhaps the pair of them would like to come up at Easter to stay for a few days? Connor couldn't fight it any longer. His tears fell and he let out an anguished cry that did not subside for several minutes.

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><p><strong>*please note, the next chapter will be M rated*<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N: I'd just like to thank all of you that have taken the time to leave a comment or subscribed to a story alert - it makes my day to know people are enjoying what they're reading.**

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><p>"Hot chocolate and marshmallows. Cure for all ills; well most of them." Jess handed a steaming mug to Abby and sat beside her on the sofa. Abby had barely spoken all evening, other than to ask Jess to answer her phone for her when Connor called, and Jess couldn't think of anything constructive to say. Abby didn't seem the type to want to have the 'all men are bastards' discussion, but what else do you say to someone who caught their boyfriend cheating on them?<p>

Abby nodded a thank you and wrapped her hands around the mug, sipping the hot, sweet liquid. "Do you think Connor really did sleep with April?" she finally said.

"You know him better than anyone else," Jess said quietly. "But for what it's worth, I'm as shocked as you are. Everyone can see how much Connor loves you. Perhaps it wasn't as bad as you think it is? Maybe they just fell asleep because they've been working so hard?"

"With no clothes on?" Abby sniffed and shook her head. "I thought I knew Connor. He's loyal, and he was brought up with old-fashioned, traditional values. He said his Gran taught him about respect and fidelity, and he was so angry when he found out that Stephen had had an affair with Helen Cutter. Cheating on me is just not something that would even enter Connor's head. If this had happened a few weeks ago, I'd have dismissed it as completely ridiculous. But he's become a stranger; I just don't know him any more."

"You did say he's been acting a bit weird lately."

"I thought that was because of Burton. Turns out it was... her." Abby bit down on her bottom lip to fight away the tears, but it didn't work. Jess's arm was around her shoulders immediately as the floodgates opened. It felt almost alien to Abby to be comforted by someone other than Connor, but it was something she was going to have to get used to.

-o-

"You're an idiot, Temple!" Becker sneered as he passed Connor. News had spread through the ARC quickly, and predictably most people were sympathising with Abby. "You spent three years trying to get Abby to notice you before that year you spent trapped in the past. You two should be as solid as a rock after what you went through together – and you throw it all away on some one night stand with a woman you barely know."

Connor was sat with his head buried in his hands. It had been a very long and lonely night, and sleeping in the bed without Abby seemed wrong. "I just wish I could remember what happened," he sighed. "Surely I wouldn't forget... that."

"I don't get it, Connor. Abby's gorgeous and bizarrely she actually seems to be in love with you. April's just weird, like some kind of robot. You'd have to have been drunk or off your head on something to have had sex with her!"

Connor looked up and suddenly it all made sense. "Becker, you're a genius! My head hurt most of the day yesterday like I was hungover. I thought I was going crazy because I just couldn't remember anything after I made that coffee!"

"You were drunk?"

"No, I would recall having alcohol at some point. She must've drugged me; put something in my coffee."

Becker sat down on the chair opposite Connor. "That's a pretty serious accusation you're making. You think she drugged you and then raped you?"

"I don't know! Maybe I'm just clutching at straws. I just know that I wouldn't risk my relationship with Abby – I love her! There has to be some explanation."

Becker frowned, and then his face softened. He had known Connor and Abby for a while, and what Connor had just said made sense. Connor had done some stupid things before, but risk losing Abby for a few minutes of sexual gratification? "It's a possibility."

Connor's face lit up. "Do you think the medics would do a drug test on me? If I can prove to Abby that April..."

"Chances are the drug has already left your system. It's already been over 24 hours since you were discovered and she could have given you the drug hours before that. It's very probably something like Rohypnol though. There might still be traces of it in your urine; Sam would know if it's worth doing a test."

"Rohypnol? The date rape drug?" Connor shook his head.

"It's reasonably easy to get hold of if you know where to go. I've only heard of it being used by men to get women to sleep with them. They often have no recollection the following day, and have symptoms of a hangover." The more he thought about it, the more convinced Becker was that he was right. But something puzzled him. "What I don't understand is why she did it. That drug would very probably render you unable to... perform."

"So we didn't have sex?" Connor breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned back in his chair and wiped a stray tear that had fallen down his cheek without him realising. "I have to prove it to Abby though. I'm not sure she'll listen to me. You have to help me, Becker!"

"I don't know if Abby will listen to me either. You just have to hope she'll calm down in a few days and then get her to sit down and listen."

"CCTV... It'll show her putting something in my drink, and show her doing whatever she did to me."

"I don't have access to the security systems on any of the Prospero property."

"I do though. Please, Becker. This might be the only chance I have of saving my relationship!"

Becker nodded. "OK, get me in and I'll help you go through the footage."

-o-

It didn't take them long to find the evidence they needed. Shortly after 11pm, Connor came into the lab with two mugs of coffee and stood talking to April for a few minutes. He then turned to his own computer, and that was when it happened. It was almost a 'blink and you'll miss it' moment; April clearly dropped something into Connor's mug when his attention was focussed on the computer screen. Then, over the next hour, Connor slowly became more and more disorientated and eventually slumped over the desk, seemingly asleep.

Becker put the video onto fast forward, watching as April simply carried on as normal and then settled herself onto the couch at the far end of the lab to sleep. She woke about an hour before Abby had walked in and undressed Connor, moved him to the floor and then removed her own clothing and settled herself against his chest.

"She set this up deliberately. Someone was going to find you and come to the conclusion that you'd slept together. I suppose it couldn't have worked out better than Abby being the one to walk in." Becker was shaking his head in disbelief.

"But why?"

"To split you and Abby up. And it worked." Connor was still confused. "I know Abby doesn't like Burton, and I've tried to remain neutral on the situation – but she's been convinced for a while that he doesn't want her hanging around you."

"Philip's not like that. Abby just has issues with him because he wanted to destroy the creatures in the menagerie. He knows what he's doing with this project and he just wants to protect it."

Becker stood up. "Think about it, Connor. If April was just trying to come between you and Abby for her own personal gain, then she'd have at least attempted to have sex with you." He turned to leave. "You have what you need; there's nothing else I can do now. It's down to you and how much you want Abby back."

Connor watched Becker leave and close the door, then turned back to the screen. He rewound the video and watched the clip over and over. Deep down, he knew that what Becker had said was right, but it didn't mean he understood.

-o-

April walked nonchalantly through the main hub of the ARC. She caught the look of disgust on Jess's face as she passed and smiled. Obviously word had got around, just as she'd planned. Connor was already drifting away from his colleagues, and this would finally tear the team apart once and for all. It would be incredibly awkward for him to be out in the field if he and Abby were at each other's throats, and Matt would have to make some decisions about Connor's position. It was exactly what Philip wanted and April would be rewarded appropriately.

There was just one further thing she had to do to make sure there was no doubt whatsoever. April had made sure she knew where Connor had scars on his body and had studied pretty much every inch of his torso so that she could taunt Abby. It hadn't been as much of a hardship as she'd envisaged; Connor was surprisingly fit under his clothes and had circumstances been different she'd probably have tried seducing him. Maybe one day, once New Dawn was operational, she'd proposition him. They would make a very powerful team; her, Connor and Philip Burton.

She made a beeline for the office next to the menagerie that Abby used and saw Jess pick up the phone. She was probably trying to warn Abby that she was coming. Let her, she thought. It wouldn't make any difference.

Abby was on the defensive the second April walked in. She folded her arms and glared at her. "Can I help you?"

"I just came to try and clear the air, Abby. There's all sorts of accusations flying around, and I don't want to be perceived as the bad guy in all of this." April sat herself down without waiting for an invite.

"If you're not the bad guy, then what are you? Don't try to act all innocent!"

"It was just one of those things. Connor's been saying for some time now that he doesn't know you, and that your lack of support for his work has disappointed him."

"And you thought it was your duty to provide the 'support' he needed?" Abby spat.

"All he asked was that you respected his need to work without distraction and to realise that what he's doing is important. He said that I'm the only person who seemed to understand that."

Abby felt her hackles rise and her blood boiling, but she had to rein in her temper. April had already made it clear she'd ensure Abby would lose her job if she stepped out of line; she couldn't give April the excuse she needed. Abby stared at the despicable woman in front of her wondering what an earth Connor saw in her. Was it really a case of him not believing that Abby supported him and April seizing that moment of doubt? Could she have tried harder to make Connor realise why she was concerned about Burton?

"Connor has an amazing body, I can see why you're keen to try and hang on to him," April said, her smile bearing more than just a passing resemblance to that of a snake luring it's prey to it's death. "You must have been through hell when you were stranded; he told me how each of those scars he has came about, and as he talked I kissed each one better."

Abby closed her eyes and her hands tightened into fists. She'd done exactly the same to him on countless occasions. Those scars were like badges of honour, she'd told him. Each one a tale of survival. To think of that bitch touching him and tainting those special memories made her stomach churn.

"And his beautiful cock," April continued. "I couldn't get enough of it, as I'm sure you couldn't either."

Abby opened her eyes. She was at the point of exploding. Much more of this and she wouldn't care about her job; being at the ARC without Connor was unthinkable anyway. Getting the sack would be worth it if she could wipe that smug smile off April's face.

"Then I slid the condom onto him and we made love on the floor."

"Say that again?" Suddenly, Abby's head began to spin. How could she have even doubted Connor? She knew he wouldn't cheat on her, and April had just confirmed that she was lying.

"We made love on the floor, and fell asleep..."

"Before that... about the condom?"

"Of course we used a condom, Abby! This project is far too important for me to risk getting pregnant."

Something inside Abby snapped. The fists she'd been keeping under control flew and one connected with April's face, making an extremely satisfying crunch. April fell backwards and landed in a heap on the floor. Breathing hard, Abby stood over her looking down. "Not only are you a bitch, but you're a liar too."

April placed her hand to her face and tried to stop the blood pouring from her nose. There was already swelling and bruising; Abby had probably broken her nose. "Whatever! If you don't want to believe that your boyfriend is a cheat then that's up to you."

"Oh, I know he's not a cheat. He never has been and never will be. You were right when I walked in and found you both – it wasn't what it looked like. Connor wouldn't have used a condom... he's allergic to latex. He almost went into anaphylactic shock when he used latex gloves to assist me with some blood samples from the creatures, and the one and only time we tried condoms he developed a rash. So you see, April, there was a tiny flaw in your plan. You really need to be more thorough in your research."

April tried to get to her feet, but the blow to the head had made her woozy and the swelling on her nose made it difficult to breathe. At that moment, Connor walked in. His mouth dropped open when he realised what had happened.

"Abby? April?"

"April was just leaving, weren't you? We had quite an interesting conversation."

April finally made it onto her feet and stumbled towards the door. "Philip will hear about this. You'll be out of a job by the end of the day."

"Oh, Philip will hear about this," Connor smiled, waving a CD at her. "I've had quite an interesting time too. Amazing what you can find on CCTV. I could have you arrested for what you did to me."

"I suspect Philip already knows. Am I right, April? How much is he paying you to try and come between me and Connor?" Abby said. Connor's face fell, and he looked from Abby to April. Surely Abby was wrong? She had to be. Philip wouldn't do that.

"Philip's making sure I'm looked after in return for ensuring that Connor is 100% committed to Prospero. If that means manipulating a few situations, then so be it. The end result is all he cares about." Blood was still pouring from April's nose and spots of it were appearing on her crisp white shirt.

"Including putting drugs in my coffee to knock me out so you can make it look like we slept together?" Connor said. He really couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd trusted April and she was one of only a few people who actually understood what he was talking about. It was all a sham and that hurt. Then the fact it was Philip encouraging her to do it – that cut deep into his soul. "If I wasn't such a gentleman, I'd punch you too!"

Abby saw red. It all fitted into place. "I'm not a gentleman though!" She ran forward, pure rage and adrenalin surging through her entire body. She felt Connor behind her and wrap his arms around her to hold her back. At first she fought against him, wanting to hurt April even more than she already had, but Connor's whispers calmed her and she gave in.

"She's not worth it, Abby," he repeated out loud, glaring at April. His heart was pounding hard and it was taking every ounce of his will power not to go after her. He was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Abby.

Finally taking the hint, April slunk away. As the door closed behind her, Abby turned and buried her face in Connor's chest and allowed her tears to flow. Connor enveloped her in his embrace, holding her tightly and resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I'm so sorry. I should never have doubted you," Abby could barely recognise her own voice through her sobs. She'd almost lost Connor because she been too quick to dismiss him and place him into the same category as other people in her life she'd trusted and been let down by.

"I understand, Abby. It looked so bad... hell, I even doubted myself! I spent all day yesterday in a confused haze. Becker said that's one of the symptoms of being given Rohypnol."

"I should have known you wouldn't sleep with someone else. After all we've been through... I just shut you out and refused to listen."

Connor held Abby's face in both hands and looked down into her eyes. "I love you, and I'm sorry that I didn't listen to the warnings you were giving me about Philip. You did try to tell me about him." Pulling Abby into him, he pressed his lips against hers in a warm, tender kiss that re-sealed the bond between them tighter than it had even been before.

Abby returned his kiss, allowing herself to sink completely into his comforting embrace and trying to control her shaking body. Some minutes later, the familiarity of Connor's warmth calmed her and they finally parted. Wiping her face, Abby had an immediate concern. "April's probably in Burton's office right now telling him what I did to her. I'll be escorted off the premises by security any minute."

"Not if Lester has anything to do with it," Connor said. He tapped the CD he had in his hand. "When I show him this footage, April will be the one being dragged out by security."

"And Philip?" Abby hardly dare ask. After what April had said, surely even Connor would realise that he was bad news now?

"He doesn't matter, and neither does Prospero. You're all that matters to me, and I won't ever allow anyone or anything to come between us again!" He took Abby's hand, and she winced slightly. The blow she'd given April had been harder than she'd realised. Connor examined it, planted a soft kiss on the back of it and then stroked it. "You should get this seen to; it looks a bit bruised and swollen."

"I'll be fine," Abby said quietly. "Nothing a bit of ice won't fix. Now, let's go and see Lester. The sooner we get this sorted, the sooner we can go home and make up for all the time we've lost over the last few weeks."

Connor nodded and smiled. They had a lot of making up to do, and something told Connor it would be yet another sleepless night.

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><p><strong>Before certain people jump up and down at me (you know who you are ladies!) There <em>will<em> be another chapter which will be self indulgent smut. I appreciate that is not to everyone's taste, so if you're ending the story here, I hope you enjoyed - for those that will carry on, give me a few days to make it worth the wait ;)**


	3. Epilogue

**Finally got around to completing this - apologies for taking longer than I anticipated, the muses are fickle beings and mine wanted to play elsewhere for a while ;)**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this epilogue to the main fic, and please take a moment to let me know you do. Thanks to those that have commented previously - It means a lot :)**

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><p>Abby listened to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom as she cleared away their dinner plates. It was a comforting sound; knowing that Connor was home and doing something as normal as taking a shower, but she still felt uneasy. He'd been unusually quiet after their meeting with Lester, and had only really spoken in response to her questions about what he'd like for dinner.<p>

She desperately wanted to go and join him in the shower as she'd done on numerous occasions, but she sensed he needed some time alone to gather his thoughts. Part of her was scared that he was angry with her for even entertaining the possibility that he could have slept with April, and he would be perfectly within his rights to push her aside. The only thing he'd done wrong was to put his trust in the wrong people; people that had manipulated him and took advantage of the one weakness Connor had – the need to be liked by a father figure.

Abby's hand ached from the punch she'd landed on April and she flexed it to ease the stiffness. Connor had insisted that she got it checked over by Sam the medic, and he'd said he didn't think she'd broken anything – apart from April's nose. The ice pack had reduced most of the swelling and her knuckles were bruising nicely. The ache was a small sacrifice; the satisfaction of finally wiping that smug smile off April's face was so worth it.

Lester had been amazing. He'd sat wide mouthed as Connor showed him the evidence of April's misdeeds; as had Abby, and then he'd simply picked up his office phone and asked April to come in. She couldn't deny what she'd done, but tried to deflect the blame onto Abby and said she wanted to lodge a formal complaint against her for breaking her nose. Lester just laughed and said the only thing he'd be doing would be congratulating Abby on the accuracy of her punch and suggesting she spoke to Captain Becker about coaching some of the soldiers. He then told April that she was to never set foot in the ARC again, and if she even attempted to expose their work he'd show the footage to the police and have her arrested.

"You can't dismiss me!" she hissed. "I'm Philip's employee, not yours. We'll see what he has to say about this."

"Oh, didn't I say? Philip Burton no longer has jurisdiction here. As of half an hour ago, the Minister terminated the contract with Prospero Industries and served a legal writ to have Burton out of here within 24 hours."

Abby had glanced over at Connor and knew he was struggling to put a brave face on things. She reached for his hand, and his fingers curled around hers for a moment before pulling away. "My research... will I lose everything?" He bit down on his bottom lip. All those hours he'd spent in the lab couldn't be worthless and he knew he was very close to a breakthrough.

"Go to the lab now, Connor," Lester ordered. "Copy what is yours to ARC owned computers, and then remove all trace from Prospero's." And that was the last Abby saw of him until it came to going home.

The sound of the running water stopped, and Abby knew Connor would be out of the bathroom in a few moments. She had to prepare herself; be ready to show him that she was sorry – not only for doubting him, but for the fact that the very thing that had given him a real sense of purpose since they'd come back from the Cretaceous had fallen apart around him.

The bathroom door clicked open and Abby turned to face it. She had no idea what she could say to even begin to make this better and figured it would be easier to show how she felt through her actions just as she'd done that very first time they'd slept together. He stood in the doorway, hesitating for a moment. He just had a towel wrapped around his waist, and there were still a few drops of water on his bare shoulders from his wet hair. Abby felt her heart skip a beat and then begin to race.

"Forgot a change of clothes, didn't I," he said quietly, finding it hard to meet Abby's gaze. She could tell he'd been crying, but if she mentioned that fact he'd only deny it and say the redness in his eyes was because he'd got shampoo in them. It was an excuse she'd used herself and it seemed she'd been right to let him have a few minutes alone. However, they'd both had too many 'alone' moments and now it was time to be together and put this latest chapter behind them once and for all.

She followed him into the bedroom and stood by the door, watching him rummage in the drawer for a t-shirt. "You don't need to worry about that," she said, moving toward him. He turned and looked questioningly at her as she reached for his hand. Without a word, Abby pulled him towards the bed and sat beside him before pulling him into a tender kiss. Instantly, the heat between them rose as they connected; a familiarity that was both comforting and arousing.

Connor responded; returning her kiss and urging her lips apart with his tongue. His hands moved to her waist and with trembling fingers he tried to unfasten her jeans. Abby sighed, she wanted this so much; to feel his hands on her bare flesh and have him taste just how much she needed him, but she pulled away. This was not about her pleasure; it was to be all about Connor's, and there were certain things that Abby needed to erase from her mind to make everything right between them again.

He squeaked his disappointment and opened his mouth to protest, but Abby placed her finger on his lips and pressed her other hand on his chest to make him lie back against the pillows. He took the hint and smiled up at her as she straddled his hips and stroked his shoulders before leaning into him and softly kissing his lips.

April had told Abby that she'd kissed each of Connor's scars, and whilst she knew that wasn't true the thought was still there tainting Abby's own memories. She intended to take as long as necessary to make sure she remembered it the way it should be. Starting with the jagged scar just above his right nipple, she traced her tongue over the line and then back again with her lips. Connor's breath hitched, and she felt his hand tangle into her hair. Right now, he was content to let her continue.

Next was the nipple itself. Abby pulled it between her teeth and bit into it, making Connor gasp and squirm beneath her. She soothed it with her tongue and then suckled on it whilst allowing her hand to drift lazily down to his stomach. He felt different; some of the muscle definition he'd gained in the Cretaceous had gone due to him spending most of the last few weeks sat at a desk. She'd soon sort that out though once he was back in his rightful place on the field team and sticking to Becker's fitness regime.

Abby shifted her attention back to the scars on Connor's torso. The next was just above his ribcage and the most significant of all. He'd been attacked by a Raptor and Abby had thought he was going to die. The bleeding had taken some hours to stop, and despite her best efforts to keep the wound clean it became infected and Connor fell desperately ill. It seemed particularly poignant now; a visible scar reminding her of a time she'd almost lost him - just like today. She planted soft, butterfly like kisses along the five inches of the still quite prominent mark, noting that Connor's breathing was getting increasingly hard.

"Abby, I need..." he breathed, tugging at her t-shirt. She knew what he wanted, and since this was about his pleasure then she'd oblige him. Sitting up, she pulled her t-shirt over her head and Connor's hands moved straight to her waist, gliding upwards to her back and unfastening her bra. It fell away easily and Abby smiled down as Connor grasped her breasts in both hands. She whimpered and leaned forward as he sat up and they pulled each other into a hungry kiss; a tangle of tongues and swallowed sighs that grew more intense and needy with each second. Tingles of pleasure radiated through Abby's entire body as her erect nipples brushed against the bare flesh of Connor's chest. It felt right, this was how it should be.

Connor wanted to move things on and slid his hands to the waistband of her jeans again. She allowed him to unfasten them this time and his hand moved inside her underwear. Even through the thick denim and the towel between them, Abby could feel Connor's arousal pressing into her and demanding attention. Pulling his hand away, she pushed him back and slid down to kiss the curve of his stomach whilst pulling the towel away. His erection sprang upright, thick and hard. Abby allowed her fingertips to ghost over the last of Connor's scars; the one almost hidden by the fine hair along his pubic bone. This one made her smile, she'd pestered him for hours asking how he'd got it and expected some tale of an over excited boy getting into some kind of scrape. Instead, she got a pink cheeked "It's from when I had my appendix out," and she'd laughed. It had broken the seriousness of that moment then, and now it brought her back to the reality of this moment. She knew every inch of Connor intimately and no other woman would take that from her. April's words no longer mattered.

Connor's hand was stroking her hair and guiding her to where he wanted her. He had a look of pure desire on his face; eyes half closed but still full of lust and longing. She needed very little encouragement; her desire was as great as his. Grasping the base of his shaft firmly with one hand, she flicked her tongue over the very tip, lapping up the bead of pre-cum formed there and then pressing into the slit. He gasped, grabbing a handful of her hair and urging her on with his sighs. This was once a well practised routine, but it seemed almost like an eternity since they'd been this intimate. Kissing and touching were one thing, but this made her nervous. It needed to be right.

Her lips curled over him and slid down, taking in about half of his length. The rest she caressed with her fingers whilst her tongue laved him hungrily. Connor's gasps of pleasure were like music to her ears; it had been too long since she'd heard him like this. Clearly it had been too long for Connor as well, and within moments his hips were jerking erratically. Abby knew what was coming and readied herself. His whole body shuddered and his cries as he released into her throat sounded almost pained.

When Abby was certain he'd stopped coming, she pulled away and sat up, breathing hard and wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. At that instant, she realised that Connor's cheeks were wet with tears. "Connor?" she whispered, full of concern. She moved closer and wiped his cheek with her thumb. "What's wrong?"

"Missed you so much!" He placed his hand over hers and held her gaze for a few seconds, then allowed her to wipe his other cheek with her free hand.

"Missed you too."

"I need you. Please Abby, let me..." He could barely get the words out, so like Abby had already decided to do, he showed her what he wanted. Taking both her wrists, he firmly moved her arms to her sides and sat up. He took a hard nipple between his teeth and then began to suckle as he released her arms and moved his hands to the waistband of her jeans. Abby threw back her head and sighed, wriggling into Connor's touches and encouraging him to go further.

Her jeans and underwear were slid over her slender hips easily, and then Connor guided her down onto her back so that he could remove them completely and toss them with a flourish to the floor. He kissed her flat stomach and then trailed his tongue down, holding her hips as she writhed into him. She parted her legs for him willingly, inviting him between her thighs. He shifted, hooking his arms under and around to lift her pelvis and then he began to lick, probe and swirl his tongue in and out of her. He was skilled at this, and knew exactly how to bring her right to the edge and have her quivering and begging him for release. When it hit, her orgasm was intense, washing over her entire body and leaving her gasping for air as every nerve ending fired.

Abby had barely recovered when Connor moved himself up, pressing his body against hers and cradling himself into the curve of her pelvis. They fitted together perfectly like two halves of a whole; they always had, and as he entered her it was Abby's turn to let the tears fall. "Connor!" She pulled him closer, wrapping her legs around his waist to draw him in deeper and seeking the warmth of his lips.

He tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth as he pulled out, and then crushed her mouth in a wet, hungry kiss as he sank into her again. Tenderly wiping her cheeks, he moved slowly with her , finally reconnecting their bodies, minds and souls. Abby felt her back arch and her internal muscles beginning to convulse around Connor. She was close to coming completely undone, but she didn't want the release yet – it was too soon for this union to be over. Clamping her legs firmly around Connor, she rolled and flipped them over so that Connor was beneath her. In this new position, Abby could control her own orgasm more easily. She knew Connor liked this position too because he could watch her breasts as she ground down onto him.

Alternating between grinding down onto him and gyrating her hips, Abby slowly increased the intensity. As they moved together, the air filled with the soft sighs of pleasure and the slight creaking of the bed beneath them. Abby felt the fire in her groin grow stronger and begin to swamp her body; she could not hold off any longer. She gripped Connor with her strong thighs and he knew she was ready. His hips jerked and they both let out a cry as their orgasms took hold and rendered them both almost boneless. Abby collapsed onto Connor's chest whilst still moving with him, her very core pulsing as it willingly accepted every drop Connor was giving her.

Even after they were both spent, Abby refused to let go. She rested her head on Connor's chest and held him tightly. Connor gently withdrew from her and cradled her in his arms, softly kissing the top of her head and breathing in the scent that was his Abby; the girl he loved with all of his heart and realised that nothing else mattered. "I'm sorry, Abby. I've been a complete idiot these last few weeks. It was your instincts that got us through so many bad situations in the Cretaceous, so I don't know why I ignored them when we came back."

Abby lifted her head and kissed his lips gently. "Don't say anything more. It's behind us now. Burton's gone, April's gone and it's back to the way it was. Let's make sure we keep it that way."

Connor nodded and blinked back the tears stinging his eyes. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

The heavy scent of their love clung in the air as Abby nestled closer against Connor's chest. Her body tingled and felt like it was glowing. When she glanced up at Connor's sleepy face, he was pink cheeked and small beads of sweat clung to his forehead. He was content, and so was she. She'd doze in his arms for a while and let him rest. Then she'd wake him and have him make love to her again – just because she could.


End file.
